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LEJONHJÄRTA SISTERS – THE FUTURE IS NOW

Elizabeth and Victoria Lejonhjärta are leading the way to a more sustainable, more beautiful and more bad ass future, one Instagram post at a time.

April 13, 2016

PHOTO: PHILIP MESSMANN/CAMERALINK

STYLING: EMELIE JOHANSSON/LINKDETAILS

The fashion revolution might not be televised, but it’s definitely
live on Instagram. While traditional fashion media (and brands) has
failed to represent the diversity of the female population, Instagram
has become a platform for sharing inspiration that challenges
fashion’s cultural norms.

”Instagram is changing fashion standards – it’s changing the
imagery”, says Elizabeth Lejonhjärta. Together with her twin sister
Victoria, their account @lejonhjerta has almost 50, 000 followers, people
who are inspired by the sisters’ dreamy, futuristic images, sharp
cheek bones and amazing locks (which they’ve grown since the age of three.)

But a supporting role isn’t enough for the Lejonhjärta sisters, we
decided. That’s why we let Danish photographer Philip Messmann portray
Elizabeth and Victoria, styled in H&M clothes made from more
sustainable materials like organic cotton, tencel and recycled denim.
Back to nature – a theme that’s relatable to the Lejonhjärtas, to say
the least.

ELIZABETH: ”When we were 18-19 years old, we decided to leave
Stockholm and move back up north, out to the woods. We felt a need to
go back to basics. We grew our own vegetables, went fishing, quit
using makeup… It was sort of a cleanse. We only wore Grandpa’s old
clothes. And we quit the internet. All our friends were really upset.”

VICTORIA: ”Yes, because we didn’t have any mobile phone coverage,
and no smartphones. No one could reach us! We had to start over, be
ourselves again.”

E: ”Even though we’re no longer living like that – today we’re
obviously on Instagram, we have new clothes, we do these shoots – it’s
nice to revisit that place, mentally.”

V: ”It’s true – we’ve always been drawn to some sort of apocalyptic
style. We love sci-fi references. I think it goes hand in hand with nature.”

E: ”Sometimes when we’re far north, it’s like we’re in a sci-fi
film. You have to be a little bit of a bad ass. People think it’s
romantic, nature, but it’s kind of tough.”

YOUR MOTHER IS SAMI-SWEDISH, HAILING FROM SÁPMI, AND YOUR FATHER IS
WEST AFRICAN – DO YOU FACE DOUBLE EXOTICISM?

E:
”Definitely. People seem to think it’s two extremes coming together. I
understand [Afro-Sami heritage] is different, but for it to be
impossible, to think it’s something… uncivilized? We have written a
lot about our heritage, it feels good to talk about it on our own terms.”

V: ”As a minority you always have to deal with stereotypes, it’s
like there’s some sort of predetermined identity you have to wear.
That’s why it’s so important to be able to redefine yourself.”

E: ”Exactly, it’s about subject versus object. Like our Instagram
for example, where we take pictures of ourselves – it’s so important
for us to choose how we portray ourselves.”

SO HOW DO YOU WANT TO PORTRAY YOURSELVES?

V: ”Like a couple of bad asses!”

E: ”Some people don’t get the superhero references in our posts.
People are like ‘you never smile in pictures’, but we’re like – ‘well,
have you seen Batman smile?!”

V: ”I really don’t know what to say about that, it’s all been said…
It’s an honour to have your name on someone’s body. Especially his –
he is such a cool, genius, kind and awesome person.”

E: ”Yes, it’s just a super nice thing. Some magazines wrote that we
got him drunk, because we made a joke about it on Instagram. But we’re
being sarcastic on Instagram all the time! He is a smart human being,
he wouldn’t stumble into a tattoo shop drunk.”

WHO ARE YOUR STYLE ICONS?

E. ”Our mother. Her style was something else – everyone in our town
Luleå knew who she was. They still do! Dad too. We grew up around
people who don’t care too much about what other people think.”

V: ”We were encouraged to always think about what we want, not
wanting things just because someone else has them. We went to thrift
stores, made our own clothes… People thought we were really weird. But
we always had each other to confirm that we actually looked cool.”

E: ”Our childhood was pretty out there, when I think about it now.”

V: ”Yeah, when you’re a kid you think everything is normal.”

E: ”But now I am like ‘woah, people were really mean to us’. Some
stuff was pretty extreme. I’ve told our mother certain things now, as
an adult, and she’s like ‘why didn’t you tell me?’ But it was normal
to us back then.”

V: ”Racism was normal.”

E: ”Yes, there was no debate, no discussion about racism.”

DO YOU THINK IT HAS CHANGED?

E: ”I really hope so. The discussion is still behind, but at the
same time there is a new awareness. Kids in our home town are super
cool, nowadays.”

V: “Yeah, I see some kids in high school and they are really cool.
It makes me happy.”

Philip Messmann photographed Elizabeth and Victoria Lejonhjärta in Stockholm. Emelie Johansson styled them in H&M pieces made from more sustainable materials. Ignacio Alonso (represented by Linkdetails) did their makeup, and Philip Fohlin (also Linkdetails) did their hair.

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